Archive

The film itself doesn’t really explain how they earned the right to call themselves “The World’s Greatest Rock ‘N’ Roll Band”. Directed by Oscar-nominated documentary maker Brett Morgen, it’s a strange mix of archive footage and new interviews with current band members Mick, Keith, Charlie and Ronnie, as well as former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor. The new interviews are audio recordings, which Morgen cuts over old video images, and the film doesn’t include anything shot after the late 1970s. As a result, until the final credits, we never see the Stones post-craggification.

Influential Australian hard rockers Rose Tattoo had sad news for fans on Tuesday, “We’re very sad to announce that Rose Tattoo founding member and guitarist Mick Cocks lost his battle against liver cancer and passed away today, on December 22th,” they said in a statement on their website.

November 27 and 28 mark the 40th anniversary of the recording of the Rolling Stones concerts at Madison Square Garden that yielded the epochal Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!, the band’s definitive live album. In recognition of that historic occasion when “The World’s Greatest Rock ‘n’ Roll Band” played “The World’s Greatest Stage,” ABKCO Records will release Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones In Concert – 40th Anniversary Deluxe Box Set and a Super Deluxe Box Set on November 3rd and November 17th respectively. The late Lester Bangs reviewing the original album in the November 12, 1970 issue of Rolling Stone wrote, “It’s still too soon to tell, but I’m beginning to think Ya-Ya’s just might be the best album they ever made. I have no doubt that it’s the best rock concert ever put on record.”

The Deluxe Box Set comprises three audio CDs including a remastered disc of the original Ya-Ya’s repertoire as well as a disc of five previously unreleased Stones tracks recorded at the same Madison Square Garden shows. The third CD encompasses unreleased performances by the shows’ stellar openers: B.B. King and Ike & Tina Turner, five songs from the former and seven songs from the latter. The Box Set also includes a 56-page Collectors Edition book featuring photos and an essay by Ethan Russell, the acclaimed photographer who accompanied the Stones on the ’69 tour, as well as the original Rolling Stone Magazine review by Lester Bangs and a series of recollections from a cross-section of fans who attended the concerts and a replica of the original Stones ’69 tour poster by David Byrd. There will be a code in a limited number of Box Sets enabling fans to download “I’m Free” for Guitar Hero 5.

Included as well is a bonus DVD by legendary filmmakers Albert and David Maysles, also entitled Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The film includes brilliantly shot full-length performances of the five previously unreleased Stones songs — “Prodigal Son, ” “You Gotta Move,” “Under My Thumb,” “I’m Free” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Beyond the song performances – presented in 5.1 surround sound — the film includes a sequence with Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Jack the donkey during the cover shoot for the Ya-Ya’s album and backstage tête-à-têtes between Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix and Mick Taylor. During “Satisfaction” Janis Joplin is seen doing an impromptu boogaloo at the side of the stage. There is also a sequence shot at Olympic Studios in London during a mixing session plus a heliport summit meeting with the Grateful Dead. The film will have its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on September 26.

Albums

(Note: The early albums released from 1964 to 1967 were originally released on Decca Records in the UK, and on London Records in the US, often in a variety of different forms.)

It was common practice in the music industry prior to 1967 for British releases to be reconfigured for the American market. In some cases, the US version would feature a different track listing, cover, and sometimes even title from its UK counterpart. The first five Rolling Stones albums were converted into eight LPs for American consumption, adding material from non-album singles and the UK EPs, and adding the concert document Got Live If You Want It!. The two Big Hits singles packages, respectively from 1966 and 1969, differ in each nation, and in the case of December’s Children (And Everybody’s) and Flowers, there are no UK counterparts. After The Beatles insisted that their magnum opus, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, be released internationally in identical configuration regarding cover and track order, the practice was quickly abandoned. Rolling Stones’ LP releases from Their Satanic Majesties Request in 1967 are uniform in both the UK and the US, except for the abovementioned Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2).

Studio albums

Year

Album details

U.K.

U.S.

Certifications
(sales threshold)

1964

The Rolling Stones

Release date: April 16, 1964

Label: Decca Records

1(51 wks)

11(35 wks)

US: Gold

1964

12 X 5

Release date: October 17, 1964

Label: London Records

—

3(38 wks)

US: Gold

1965

The Rolling Stones No. 2

Release date: January 15, 1965

Label: Decca Records

1(37 wks)

—

1965

The Rolling Stones, Now!

Release date: February 13, 1965

Label: London Records

—

5(53 wks)

US: Gold

1965

Out of Our Heads

Release date: September 24, 1965

Label: Decca Records

2(24 wks)

1(65 wks)

US: Platinum

1965

December’s Children (And Everybody’s)

Release date: December 4, 1965

Label: London Records

—

4(33 wks)

US: Gold

1966

Aftermath

Release date: April 15, 1966

Label: Decca Records

1(28 wks)

2(50 wks)

US: Gold

1967

Between the Buttons

Release date: January 20, 1967

Label: Decca Records

3(22 wks)

2(47 wks)

US: Gold

1967

Their Satanic Majesties Request

Release date: December 8, 1967

Label: Decca Records

3(13 wks)

2(30 wks)

US: Gold

1968

Beggars Banquet

Release date: December 6, 1968

Label: Decca Records

3(12 wks)

5(32 wks)

US: Platinum

1969

Let It Bleed

Release date: December 5, 1969

Label: Decca Records

1(29 wks)

3(44 wks)

UK: Platinum
US: 2× Multi-Platinum

1971

Sticky Fingers

Release date: April 23, 1971

Label: Rolling Stones Records

1(26 wks)

1(62 wks)

US: 3× Multi-Platinum

1972

Exile on Main St.

Release date: May 12, 1972

Label: Rolling Stones Records

1(16 wks)

1(43 wks)

US: Platinum

1973

Goats Head Soup

Release date: August 31, 1973

Label: Rolling Stones Records

1(14 wks)

1(37 wks)

UK: Gold
US: 3× Multi-Platinum

1974

It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll

Release date: October 18, 1974

Label: Rolling Stones Records

2(9 wks)

1(20 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum

1976

Black and Blue

Release date: April 23, 1976

Label: Rolling Stones Records

2(14 wks)

1(24 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum

1978

Some Girls

Release date: June 9, 1978

Label: Rolling Stones Records

2(25 wks)

1(82 wks)

UK: Gold
US: 6× Multi-Platinum

1980

Emotional Rescue

Release date: June 20, 1980

Label: Rolling Stones Records

1(18 wks)

1(51 wks)

UK: Gold
US: 2× Multi-Platinum

1981

Tattoo You

Release date: August 24, 1981

Label: Rolling Stones Records

2(29 wks)

1(58 wks)

UK: Gold
US: 4× Multi-Platinum

1983

Undercover

Release date: November 7, 1983

Label: Rolling Stones Records

3(18 wks)

4(23 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum

1986

Dirty Work

Release date: March 24, 1986

Label: Rolling Stones Records

4(10 wks)

4(25 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum
GER: Gold

1989

Steel Wheels

Release date: August 29, 1989

Label: Rolling Stones Records

2(18 wks)

3(36 wks)

UK: Gold
US: 3× Multi-Platinum
GER: Gold

1994

Voodoo Lounge

Release date: July 11, 1994

Label: Virgin Records

1(24 wks)

2(38 wks)

UK: Gold
US: 2× Multi-Platinum
GER: Platinum

1997

Bridges to Babylon

Release date: September 29, 1997

Label: Virgin Records

6(6 wks)

3(27 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum
GER: Platinum

2005

A Bigger Bang

Release date: September 5, 2005

Label: Virgin Records

1(4 wks)

3(19 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum
GER: Platinum

Compilations

Year

Album details

U.K.

U.S.

Certifications
(sales threshold)

1966

Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (US)

Release date: March 28, 1966

Label: London Records

—

3(99 wks)

US: 2x Multi-Platinum

1966

Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (UK)

Release date: November 4, 1966

Label: Decca Records

4(43 wks)

—

1967

Flowers

Release date: June 26, 1967

Label: London Records

—

3(35 wks)

US: Gold

1969

Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2)

Release date: September 12, 1969

Label: Decca Records

2(37 wks)

2(32 wks)

US: Platinum

1971

Stone Age

Release date: March 6, 1971

Label: Decca Records

4(7 wks)

—

1971

Gimme Shelter

Release date: September 10, 1971

Label: Decca Records

19(5 wks)

—

1971

Hot Rocks 1964-1971

Release date: December 20, 1971

Label: ABKCO Records

—

4(243 wks)

US: 12x Multi-Platinum

1972

Milestones

Release date: February 18, 1972

Label: Decca Records

14(8 wks)

—

1972

Rock’n’Rolling Stones

Release date: October 13, 1972

Label: Decca Records

41(1 wk)

—

1972

More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies)

Release date: December 11, 1972

Label: ABKCO Records

—

9(29 wks)

US: Gold

1973

No Stone Unturned

Release date: October 5, 1973

Label: Decca Records

—

—

1975

Metamorphosis

Release date: June 6, 1975

Label: ABKCO Records

45(1 wk)

8(13 wks)

1975

Made in the Shade

Release date: June 6, 1975

Label: Rolling Stones Records

14(12 wks)

6(17 wks)

US: Platinum

1975

Rolled Gold: The Very Best of Rolling Stones

Release date: November 6, 1975

Label: Decca Records

7(50 wks)

—

UK: Gold

1979

Time Waits For No One

Release date: May 29, 1979

Label: Rolling Stones Records

—

—

1980

Solid Rock

Release date: October 28, 1980

Label: Decca Records

—

—

1981

Slow Rollers

Release date: January 1, 1981

Label: Decca Records

—

—

1981

Sucking in the Seventies

Release date: March 9, 1981

Label: Rolling Stones Records

—

15(12 wks)

US: Gold

1982

In Concert

Release date: July 21, 1982

Label: Decca Records

94(3 wks)

—

1982

Story of The Stones

Release date: December 1, 1982

Label: Decca Records

24(12 wks)

—

UK: Gold

1984

Rewind (1971-1984)

Release date: June 29, 1984

Label: Rolling Stones Records

23(18 wks)

86(11 wks)

US: Gold

1989

Singles Collection: The London Years

Release date: August 15, 1989

Label: Rolling Stones Records

—

91(22 wks)

US: Platinum

1990

Hot Rocks 1964-1971

Release date: June 25, 1990

Label: Decca Records

3(24 wks)

—

UK: 2x Platinum

1993

Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones

Release date: November 22, 1993

Label: Virgin Records

16(28 wks)

—

UK: 2x Platinum
GER: Gold

2002

Forty Licks

Release date: September 30, 2002

Label: Virgin/ABKCO/Decca

2(45 wks)

2(48 wks)

UK: 3x Multi-Platinum
US: 4x Multi-Platinum
GER: Platinum

2004

Singles 1963-1965

Release date: April 26, 2004

Label: Decca/ABKCO

—

—

2004

Singles 1965-1967

Release date: July 12, 2004

Label: Decca/ABKCO

—

—

2004

Jump Back: The Best of The Rolling Stones

Release date: August 24, 2004

Label: Virgin Records

—

30(58 wks)

US: Platinum

2005

Singles 1968-1971

Release date: February 28, 2005

Label: Decca/ABKCO

—

—

2005

Rarities 1971-2003

Release date: November 22, 2005

Label: Virgin Records

—

76(6 wks)

2007

Rolled Gold+: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones

Release date: November 12, 2007

Label: UMTV

26(7 wks)

—

2009

The Rolling Stones Box Set

Release date: July 28, 2009

Label: Hip-O Records

—

—

[edit] Live albums

Year

Album details

U.K.

U.S.

Certifications[1][2][3]
(sales threshold)

1966

Got Live if You Want It! (US only)

Release date: December 10, 1966

Label: London Records

—

6(48 wks)

US: Gold

1970

Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert

Release date: September 4, 1970

Label: Decca Records

1(16 wks)

6(23 wks)

US: Platinum

1977

Love You Live

Release date: September 23, 1977

Label: Rolling Stones Records

3(8 wks)

5(17 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Gold

1982

“Still Life” (American Concert 1981)

Release date: June 1, 1982

Label: Rolling Stones Records

4(18 wks)

5(23 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum

1991

Flashpoint

Release date: April 2, 1991

Label: Rolling Stones Records

6(7 wks)

16(17 wks)

UK: Silver
US: Gold
GER: Gold

1995

Stripped

Release date: November 13, 1995

Label: Virgin Records

9(11 wks)

9(19 wks)

UK: Gold
US: Platinum
GER: Gold

1996

The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus

Release date: October 14, 1996

Label: Decca Records

12(4 wks)

92(3 wks)

1998

No Security

Release date: November 2, 1998

Label: Virgin Records

67(1 wk)

34(8 wks)

2004

Live Licks

Release date: November 1, 2004

Label: Virgin Records

38(4 wks)

50(2 wks)

UK: Silver
US: Gold

2008

Shine a Light

Release date: April 1, 2008

Label: Polydor Records

2(6 wks)

11(7 wks)

UK: Silver

[edit] UK EPs

Year

EP details

U.K.

1964

The Rolling Stones

Release date: January 17, 1964

Label: Decca Records

1(57 wks)

1964

Five by Five

Release date: August 14, 1964

Label: Decca Records

1(54 wks)

1965

got LIVE if you want it!

Release date: June 11, 1965

Label: Decca Records

1(42 wks)

[edit] Side project album

Nicky Hopkins, Ry Cooder, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts

Year

Album details

U.S.

1972

Jamming with Edward!

Release date: January 7, 1972

Label: Rolling Stones Records

33(11 wks)

Singles

In some cases B side of single charted separately; blank chart data equals single not released in that nation. First single in the US is “Not Fade Away” b/w “I Wanna Be Your Man,” respectively the A sides of the group’s third and second singles in the UK.

Bracketed numbers next to chart positions denotes number of weeks spent in the individual chart.

The Rolling Stones are notable in modern popular music for assimilating various musical genres into their recording and performance, ultimately making the styles their very own. The band’s career is marked by a continual reference and reliance on musical styles like American blues, country, folk, reggae, dance; world music exemplified by the Master Musicians of Jajouka; as well as traditional English styles that use stringed instrumentation like harps. The band cut their musical teeth by covering early rock and roll and blues songs, and have never stopped playing live or recording cover songs.

Infusion of American blues

Jagger and Richards shared an admiration of Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters and Little Walter, and their interest influenced Brian Jones, of whom Richards says, “He was more into T-Bone Walker and jazz-blues stuff. We’d turn him onto Chuck Berry and say, ‘Look, it’s all the same shit, man, and you can do it.'”Charlie Watts, a traditional jazz drummer, was also turned onto the blues after his introduction to the Stones. “Keith and Brian turned me on to Jimmy Reed and people like that. I learned that Earl Phillips was playing on those records like a jazz drummer, playing swing, with a straight four…”

Jagger, recalling when he first heard the likes of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, Fats Domino and other major American R&B artists, said it “seemed the most real thing” he had heard up to that point. Similarly, Keith Richards, describing the first time he listened to Muddy Waters, said it was the “most powerful music [he had] ever heard…the most expressive.”

Early songwriting

Despite the Rolling Stones’ predilection for blues and R&B numbers on their early live setlists, the first original compositions by the band reflected a more wide-ranging interest. The first Jagger/Richards single, “Tell Me (You’re Coming Back),” is called by critic Richie Unterberger a “pop/rock ballad… When [Jagger and Richards] began to write songs, they were usually not derived from the blues, but were often surprisingly fey, slow, Mersey-type pop numbers.”[91] “As Tears Go By,” the ballad originally written for Marianne Faithfull, was one of the first songs written by Jagger and Richards and also one of many written by the duo for other artists. Jagger said of the song, “It’s a relatively mature song considering the rest of the output at the time. And we didn’t think of [recording] it, because the Rolling Stones were a butch blues group.” The Stones did later record a version which became a top five hit in the US.

On the early experience, Richards said, “The amazing thing is that although Mick and I thought these songs were really puerile and kindergarten-time, every one that got put out made a decent showing in the charts. That gave us extraordinary confidence to carry on, because at the beginning songwriting was something we were going to do in order to say to Andrew [Loog Oldham], ‘Well, at least we gave it a try…'” Jagger said, “We were very pop-orientated. We didn’t sit around listening to Muddy Waters; we listened to everything. In some ways it’s easy to write to order… Keith and I got into the groove of writing those kind of tunes; they were done in ten minutes. I think we thought it was a bit of a laugh, and it turned out to be something of an apprenticeship for us.”

The writing of the single “The Last Time,” The Rolling Stones’ first major single, proved a turning point. Richards called it “a bridge into thinking about writing for The Stones. It gave us a level of confidence; a pathway of how to do it.” Built around a riff played by Brian Jones, the song was based on a traditional gospel song popularised by The Staples Singers and would be emblematic of the heavily guitar based sound to come.